Thread by @FDD

WATCH LIVE | FDD @LongWarJournal's @thomasjoscelyn testifies before @SASCDems @SASCGOP on #Afghanistan.

Read his full written testimony here: fdd.org/wp-content/upl…

And tune in beginning at 9:30am EST here: armed-services.senate.gov/hearings/to-re…

https://twitter.com/LongWarJournal/status/1443568306544431107

@LongWarJournal @thomasjoscelyn @SASCDems @SASCGOP HAPPENING NOW: @LongWarJournal's @thomasjoscelyn delivers his opening statement before @SASCDems @SASCGOP on #Afghanistan.

WATCH LIVE HERE: armed-services.senate.gov/hearings/to-re…

Read his full written testimony here: fdd.org/wp-content/upl…

"I heard Gen. Milley say nobody saw that the Afghan forces and government would collapse in 11 days. As the senior editor of @LongWarJournal who's been covering this insurgency for the last 12 years of my life, I have to say... that's inaccurate."

WATCH: armed-services.senate.gov/hearings/to-re…

@LongWarJournal "During Tuesday's hearing, I heard all three of the Generals say that the #Taliban has not broken with #alQaeda. That is correct. However, I also heard one of the Generals say that there are 'remnants' of al Qaeda in Afghanistan. 'Remnants' is a Buzzword that has no meaning."

"Based on files recovered from #binLaden's compound (for which @LongWarJournal advocated the release), OBL's chief lieutenant wrote to say they're hitting U.S. and NATO forces hard — and that #alQaeda is working with permission of, in conjunction and collusion with the #Taliban."

"One key figure identified in these memos: Siraj #Haqqani. He's the one they're cooperating with on the ground in #Afghanistan. He's been the #Taliban's deputy emir — AKA top 2 — since 2015. And the evidence is overwhelming that he is, in fact, an #alQaeda man."

.@thomasjoscelyn: "Yes, the #Taliban won this war. But so did #alQaeda."

WATCH Q&A with @SASCDems @SASCGOP here: armed-services.senate.gov/hearings/to-re…

"#China signaled very early on that they're willing to deal with the #Taliban. Even before the fall of Kabul, the delegation that negotiated with the U.S. in Doha went to Beijing where they secured pledges of support from China. I would very much keep tabs on that relationship."

"I'm very worried about our country overall in terms of our weak standing. Worth noting that the French, British, and Germans all made comments after this chaotic withdrawal recognizing there was a lack of American willpower. I think we're dealing with real long-term problems."

.@thomasjoscelyn: "If the Europeans are saying that they don't trust us — and these are some of our longest allies going back to the Revolution — then I think we have a problem."

WATCH: armed-services.senate.gov/hearings/to-re…

@thomasjoscelyn "I can't get over the fact that — after all the hundreds of billions spent on the war — if you were to ask the decision-makers and leaders basic questions about #alQaeda and its relations with the #Taliban, they'd fail to answer. They wouldn't understand them. It's dumbfounding."

@thomasjoscelyn .@thomasjoscelyn tells @SASCDems @SASCGOP:
"I wouldn't have evacuated through #Kabul at all. In my mind, the last American in #Afghanistan would've turned the lights out at #Bagram."

WATCH: armed-services.senate.gov/hearings/to-re…

.@SenDuckworth: "On a recent podcast, you discussed the need to examine 20 years of decisions that led to the failure in #Afghanistan. Do you agree that DoD, State, the WH, Congress, and intel community all contributed to the failure?

@thomasjoscelyn: "No question, Senator."

Listen to @thomasjoscelyn and @billroggio discuss the failures and need for accountability on @LongWarJournal's Generation Jihad:

Episode 55 — Afghanistan Falls: longwarjournal.org/archives/2021/…

Episode 56 — The Resurrection of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan: longwarjournal.org/archives/2021/…